CTI Sum 06 Journalfinal

The CTI Journal
(ISSN: 0273-3250)
PUBLISHED SEMI-ANNUALLY
Copyright 2006 by The Cooling
Technology Institute, PO Box 73383,
Houston, TX 77273. Periodicals
postage paid at FORT WORTH, Texas.
MISSION STATEMENT
It is CTIs objective to: 1) Maintain and
expand a broad base membership of
individuals and organizations
interested in Evaporative Heat
Transfer Systems (EHTS), 2) Identify
and address emerging and evolving
issues concerning EHTS, 3) Encourage and support educational
programs in various formats to
enhance the capabilities and
competence of the industry to realize
the maximum benefit of EHTS, 4)
Encourge and support cooperative
research to improve EHTS Technology
and efficiency for the long-term
benefit of the environment, 5) Assure
acceptable minimum quality levels
and performance of EHTS and their
components by establishing standard
specifications, guidelines, and
certification programs, 6) Establish
standard testing and performance
analysis systems and prcedures for
EHTS, 7) Communicate with and
influence governmental entities
regarding the environmentally
responsible technologies, benefits,
and issues associated with EHTS, and
8) Encourage and support forums and
methods for exchanging technical
information on EHTS.
LETTERS/MANUSCRIPTS
Letters to the editor and manuscripts
for publication should be sent to: The
Cooling Technology Institute, PO Box
73383, Houston, TX 77273.
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PUBLICATION DISCLAIMER
CTI has compiled this publication
with care, but CTI has not Investigated, and CTI expressly disclaims
any duty to investigate, any product,
service process, procedure, design,
or the like that may be described
herein. The appearance of any
technical data, editorial material, or
advertisement in this publication
does not constitute endorsement,
warranty, or guarantee by CTI of any
product, service process, procedure,
design, or the like. CTI does not
warranty that the information in this
publication is free of errors, and CTI
does not necessarily agree with any
statement or opinion in this
publication. The entire risk of the use
of any information in this publication
is assumed by the user. Copyright
2006
by Journal,
the CTI Journal.
rights
CTI
Vol. 27,AllNo.
2
reserved.
Contents
Feature Articles
10
34
44
60
A Performance Comparison of Counterflow Reduced

Fouling Fills
Toby L. Daley, P.E.
Large Scale Mechanical Equipment Replacement - Simple
Steps for Success
David M. Suptic P.E. LLC
Roulette And Mechanical Vibration Switches: What Are
Your Odds?
Gene Ort
Improving Localized Corrosion in a Complex Cooling
Water System
Michael H. Dorsey,Kevin Daigle,and A.F. Brunn
Special Sections
68
70
CTI Licensed Testing Agencies

CTI ToolKit
Departments
02
04
06
08
Meeting Calendar
View From the Tower
Editors Corner
Data Sheet
see...page 38
see...page 16
see...page 44
CTI Journal
The Official Publication of The Cooling Technology Institute
Vol. 27 No.2
FUTURE MEETING DATES
Summer 2006
Journal Committee
Paul Lindahl, Editor-in-Chief
Art Brunn, Sr. Editor
Virginia Manser, Managing Editor/Adv. Manager
Donna Jones, Administrative Assistant
Graphics by Sarita Graphics
Board of Directors
Steve Chaloupka, President
Thomas Bugler, Vice President
Rich Altice, Secretary
Dennis (Denny) P. Shea, Treasurer
Robert (Bob) Giammaruti, Director
Richard (Rich) Harrison, Director
James Kanuth, Director
Ken Kozelski, Director
Terry Ogburn, Director
Mark Shaw, Director
Committee
Workshop
Annual
Conference
July 9-12, 2006

Sheraton Sand Key Resort
Clearwater, FL
February 4-7, 2007

Omni Corpus Christi Hotel
Corpus Christi, TX
July 8-11, 2007

The Westin La Cantera
San Antonio, TX
February 3-7, 2008

The Westin Galleria
Houston, TX
Address all communications to:

Virginia A. Manser, CTI Administrator
Cooling Technology Institute
PO Box 73383
Houston, Texas 77273
281.583.4087
281.537.1721 (Fax)
Internet Address: http://www.cti.org
E-mail: vmanser@cti.org
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CTI Journal, Vol. 27, No. 2
View From The Tower

I want to thank all attendees and participants to
the 2006 Annual Conference for making it the best
meeting we have had in a long time. Continuing
education, fellowship, networking, progress with
standards and codes; all accomplished at the conference! When evaluating personal time spent vs.
cost of participation, I think CTI is offering a premier value to our industry.
to keep pace with technology advancements. I

hope to see you at this upcoming meeting.
Speaking of the Summer Committee Workshop,

I would like to personally invite any and all
owner/operators to attend this meeting. We need
your input into the CTI codes and standards.
After all, these are for your ultimate benefit. If
you are not able to attend the meeting, but would
Time flies, and if I read my calendar correctly, Steven Chaloupka like to participate in committee work, please let
President
July 9th is rapidly approaching. You might ask
me know and I will be happy to get you conth
What happens on July 9 ? Well, that is the beginning of nected with the right people that match your interests and
the CTI Summer Committee Workshop being held from July expertise.
9th through July 12th at the Sheraton Sand Key Resort in I want to personally welcome Cleanair Engineering, Inc. and
Clearwater, Florida. This is the meeting in which the three McHale & Associates, Inc. as our two newest CTI licensed
standing committees of Performance & Technology, Water testing agencies. These two new additions bring the CTI
Treating and Engineering Standards & Maintenance are able official licensed testing agencies to four, joining existing comto review progress on standards and codes. This is truly the panies of Cooling Tower Technologies, Pty., Ltd. and Cooling
backbone of CTI and the means in which new standards Tower Test Associates, Inc. I encourage all owner/operaand codes are created, plus updating our existing documents tors to use these CTI licensed agencies for performance and
drift code verification on any new or rebuilt cooling towers. By using these licensed agencies,
you are assured of accurate data for adherence
to codes and standards. Just one more way CTI
can help owners and operators maximize the performance of their cooling towers.
If you have any ideas, suggestions or concerns
about CTI that you would like to discuss with
me, please feel free to contact me. I would be
very interested in discussing anything that might
improve the offerings of CTI.
Steven Chaloupka,
CTI President
Editors Corner
Dear Journal Readers,
pany actually joining the program.
Another years thermal testing results were presented at CTIs 2006 Annual Meeting, providing
The Certification program for smaller, usually standardanother opportunity to consider the issue and its
ized factory assembled towers, has been very successimpact on our industry. The report by the Multiful. The ranks of member companies have grown sigAgency Testing Chair, Mark Shaw, is available for
nificantly over the last few years, indicating the perfree from the CTI office.
ceived value of Certification of products by customers. Certification of field erected towers, which are
The overall average is up a bit, influenced by a few
mainly custom designs to suit a particular customer
very high results, likely for tests with parameters
need, has been deemed impractical each time it has
well outside of code. There are, again, a significant
been considered in the past. The publication of testnumber of tests below 100%, with too many below
ing results via the STD-202 standard can at least take
90%.
us part way toward achieving the industry credibility
During discussions of the report at the CTI Board
Paul Lindahl
associated with CTI Certification.
meeting, it was suggested that the average of tests
Editor-In-Chief
Poorly performing cooling towers cost customers
below 97%, and the percentage of tests below 97%
be reported and presented during the Annual Conference in money in process inefficiency and energy consumption every single
the future. Field testing is generally considered to be approxi- hour of operation. Tower owners and operators are needed to
mately within 3%, so a 97% threshold is arguably a fully participate on the new task group in P&T. It is in your best interest
performing tower. Increasing visibility of these numbers in the to participate in moving this valuable program forward.
industry is important for our future. The results should be Please contact me or the P&T leadership if you are interested in
carefully scrutinized in next years report.
participating.
The Board of Directors also received a report from a committee
appointed to consider the issue. The committee recommended
opening a task group in P&T to revitalize STD-202, the existing Respectfully,
standard for publication of performance results for field erected Paul Lindahl
cooling towers by manufacturer name. The goal is to reduce CTI Journal Editor
the negative aspects of the standard that led to only one com-
Data Sheet:
Performance and Testing Program
(Accoustical - Drift - Thermal Testing Agencies)
A hearty welcome to our two newest Multi-Agency Testing Companies, Clean Air Engineering and McHale & Associates,
Inc. Here is an introductive discription for both companies to help you get acquainted with each.
Clean Air Engineering, Powell, Tennessee - Clean Air
Engineering is proud to continue the relationship that its staff
has had for years
with the Cooling
Technology
Institute.
The
Powell, Tennessee
office is focused
on performance
testing and cooling
tower thermal and
drift tests across a broad array of industries. Within the power
industry, the Plant Performance group routinely conducts
component tests including evaluations of gas turbines, steam
turbines, HRSGs, boilers, cooling towers and steam
condensers. CleanAirs other five offices perform emissions

testing, and modeling of ESPs and SCRs for performance
optimization. CleanAir also rents or sells calibrated test
instrumentation for thermal performance and emissions testing.
The Powell, TN office can be reached at (800) 208-6162,
fax (865) 938-7569, or at www.cleanair.com. Their mailing
address is: 7936 Conner Rd., Powell, TN 37849
Thermal
and
Drift
See advertisement on page 41
McHale & Associates, Inc. - is pleased to announce the addition of the CTI License
for Drift Testing to our CTI License for Thermal Testing which was established earlier
this year.
McHale is a specialized engineering group providing high quality measurement and
consulting services in plant performance evaluations for cooling towers and BOP testing, audits, monitoring, and optimizations
as well. McHale is the industry leader in supplying cost effective solutions, professional and innovative staff, and quality,
precision, calibrated equipment for your testing program.
McHale is the successor of the past Environmental Systems Corporation
Performance Services Division (formerly PGT) and has assumed many of
their outstanding contracts and potential opportunities. McHale has
purchased all of the ESC testing equipment, and technical and intellectual
assets, including the entire calibration facility, to supplement our testing
services capabilities. Our new 7000 sq. ft. facility in
Knoxville is ready to calibrate and stage the equipment
needed for all of your testing requirements.
The McHale cooling tower testing program is being lead
by Mr. Gene Culver. Gene has more than 27 years of
Thermal
and
experience working in the cooling tower industry, has been an active member of a number of CTI technical
Drift
committees, and is a highly skilled CTI test representative through his significant experience in providing
drift, plume, and thermal testing services.
Please note the following contact information and let us quote your next testing project:
McHale & Associates, Inc.
(Knoxville Offices)
6430 Baum Drive
Knoxville, TN 37919
Tel. (856) 588-2654
8
Thomas Wheelock, P.E.

Director of Testing Services
tom.wheelock@mchale.org
Gene Culver
Sr. Engineer - Cooling Tower Services
gene.culver@mchale.org
See advertisement on page 31
A Performance Comparison of
Counterflow Reduced Fouling Fills
Toby L. Daley, P.E.
T Daley & Associates, Inc
Fill Media Tested

The fill media that were tested represent a mix of
reduced fouling fills for various water quality applications.
Abstract
This paper will present the recent testing results of
counterflow film and splash type reduced fouling
fill configurations. It will present a comparison of
the relative performance of the fills. This recent testing program provides a todays performance perspective of the most commonly used fills of this
type.
These are:
Introduction
FB20
FC18
SNCS
AAFNCS
RF20
DF254
Spaced Tile
Since the introduction of Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC)

Toby L. Daley, P.E.
counterflow film fills there has been a continuing
effort to reduce the fouling characteristics in fouling potential ap- The testing was performed at the SPX Cooling Technologies Deplications. Physical characteristics of high efficiency film fills such velopment Center over a period from 2002 thru 2005. The raw test
as close flute spacing, cross corrugation and cross stacking of data was provided by SPXCT and the author performed the data
packs are all negatives when considering their use in fouling po- reduction and analysis using custom developed software which
tential applications.
includes the Cooling Technology Institute (CTI) Merkel and PsyEarly applications of these high efficiency fill media in potential chrometric methods.
fouling applications in the 1980s were met with failure due to a lack
of understanding of its behavior in the environment. It was not
uncommon to hear stories of towers which routinely became plugged
after a short period of service. It became accepted to repack a tower
every so many years to maintain the As-New thermal performance.
The configuration of the test cell and testing protocol has been
previously described in the CTI Technical Paper TP88-05 Comparative Evaluation of Counterflow Cooling Tower Fills, authored
by Bob Fulkerson.
Thus, the goal of designing a new reduced fouling fill media became how to reduce the fouling potential while trying to maintain
the heat transfer characteristics of a high efficiency fill media. As
these new generations of reduced fouling fills became available it
was apparent that this goal was not going to be easily achieved. In
most applications the solution to scheduled repacking of high efficiency fill media was the installation of a reduced fouling fill media
with a substantial reduction in tower performance.
The following table presents the fill configuration for each fill tested.
However, over the last 15 years fill manufacturers have continued

to reduce the fouling potential and increase the thermal efficiency.
There is a physical limit in achieving this combination that is very
dependent upon the quality of the circulating water, water treatment and environment.
This paper will present the results of recent testing of some of the
most common types of these fills. Basic thermal capability comparisons will then be performed to provide the user with an understanding of fill selection impact versus performance. It is not the
intent to provide water quality guidelines for applying the fills.
There have been several quality technical papers previously presented to the industry on this subject.
An additional fill is included that is not a PVC film fill but is a
Splash-Film fill known as Tile Fill which was created by Ceramic
Cooling Tower in the late 1940s. This fill has also been classified as
a non-fouling fill.
10
Fill Configuration
Fill
Nozzle Type
Nozzle
Spacing,
FB20
NS5A X 12
26 X 36
Nominal Fill
Height
inches
4, 6, 8 Ft.
FC18
NS5A X 12
26 X 36
4, 6, 8 Ft.
SNCS
NS5A X 12
26 X 36
1, 1.5, 2 M
AAFNCS
NS5A X 12
26 X 36
1,1.5, 2, 2.5 M
RF20
NS5A X 12
26 X 36
1.5, 2, 2.5 M
DF254
NS5A X 12
26 X 36
2.5, 5, 7.5 Ft.
Spaced
Tile
NS5A X 12
26 X 36
3.25, 6.0 Ft.
Spray Height
26" C/L branch to

top of fill
26" C/L branch to
top of fill
26" C/L branch to
top of fill
26" C/L branch to
top of fill
26" C/L branch to
top of fill
26" C/L branch to
top of fill
26" C/L branch t
top of fill
Data Analysis
The data was received in text file format and converted to a spreadsheet format. Using the analysis software, written by the Author, a
CTI Merkel KaV/L was then determined for each test L/G, fill type
and height. A multiple regression curve fit analysis was performed
to determine the coefficients and the proper equation form to mathematically represent the L/G and KaV/L relationship.
This same analysis process was performed for each fill velocity and
water loading or Q/A (gallons per minute per square foot of fill plan
11
area) to determine the fill static pressure equation form and coefficients characteristics.
The resulting L/G vs. KaV/L characteristics and Velocity vs. Static
Pressure for water loadings of Q/A = 4, 6, and 8 are presented in
curve form in Appendix A. The equations and coefficients are considered proprietary.
The L/G vs. KaV/L curves are presented for a hot water temperature
of 100 F.
The Velocity vs. Static Pressure curves are presented at .070 density (lb dry air/ft^3 mix).
Performance Comparison Models

The typical goal for a thermal selection is to determine the most
efficient and economical tower to satisfy a required thermal duty,
horsepower, and space available. In clean water applications this is
usually straight forward and involves a traditional high efficiency
fill. However, when an installation involves a water quality and/or
environment which could interact with the fill and produce fouling
then fill selection process involves other considerations. These
considerations might be hot water temperature, fill velocity, water
loading per square foot, etc.
Thus, the need for thermal performance equivalence usually arises.
The following questions generally occur.
Performance Comparisons
The results of the performance models are presented in two graphical forms. One for the capability comparison and second graph for
the percent adjusted plan area comparison. Each graphical form is
plotted against nominal fill height in feet.
All comparison graphs are at HWT = 100 F.
The following graphs are presented in Appendix A:
Holding the FB20 plan area constant % of Capability was compared.
Figure A1
Duty A R=10 F, A=6 F, Q/A = 3.5, WBT = 78 F
Figure A2
Duty B R=10 F, A=10 F, Q/A = 6.0, WBT = 78 F
Figure A3
Duty C R=10 F, A=14 F, Q/A = 8.0, WBT = 78 F
Holding the FB20 horsepower constant Required % plan area
was compared on a normalized basis.
Figure B1
Figure B2
Figure B3
Duty A
Duty B
Duty C
R=10 F, A=6 F, Q/A = 3.5, WBT = 78 F

R=10 F, A=10 F, Q/A = 6.0, WBT = 78 F
R=10 F, A=14 F, Q/A = 8.0, WBT = 78 F
% of Capability Comparison - Example
If I leave the cell size and horsepower the same, what is the
performance capability if I change to a different fill but keep
the same fill height? (Especially true in an existing tower.)
If I change the cell size and the fill height, how much larger in
plan area is required at the same horsepower?
There can be and usually are many more questions. The answer
involves much more that just changing the fill selection. How does
it affect the air inlet heights, fan size, gear reducer, plenum, etc? It is
not the intent to provide these answers herein since there are variations in proprietary rating systems and methodology. However, a
fill only performance comparison can be performed by using the fill
thermal characteristics and static pressure curves.
The performance comparison models involved the following;
Defining three thermal duties which utilize L/Gs bounding
the characteristic line. This included a varying approach,
water loading, fill velocity for a WBT = 78 F.
Creating a normalization process to reflect % change in thermal capability or % change in required plan area.
The following table shows the duties used to create the comparisons.
Duty
Range, F
App, F
Q/A
10.0
6.0
3.5
10.0
10.0
6.0
10.0
14.0
8.0
Figure A-1 reflects that as compared to 4 Ft. of FB20 in the same fill
plan area it would require the following fill heights or greater to
achieve the 100% capability.
The normalization and comparative process consisted of the following;
Fill
A 4 Ft. fill height of FB20 was used as the base fill, plan area,
and horsepower. All other fills were then compared to it.
Holding the FB20 plan area constant % of Capability was
compared.
Holding the FB20 horsepower constant Required % plan
area was compared on a normalized basis.
Fill velocities ranged from 300 to 700 feet per minute.
FB20
FC18
SNCS
AAFNCS
RF20
DF254
Spaced Tile
12
Minimum Equivalent Fill Height Duty A

4 Ft. (Base)
6 Ft.
1.5 M
1.5 M
1.5 M
5.25 Ft.
4 Ft. = - 35% capability (Not Shown)
13
Required % Plan Area Comparison Example
% of Capability Comparison
Figure B-1 reflects that as compared to 4 Ft. of FB20 to maintain the

same horsepower would require the following change in plan area
to achieve the 100% capability.
Fill
Required Minimum Equivalent Fill Plan Area,
Ft^2 at Same Hp Duty A
FB20
4.0 Ft. (Base)
FC18
4 Ft. Requires 2.8% Increase
SNCS
1 M Requires 6.2% Increase
AAFNCS
RF20
DF254
4 Ft. Requires 2.8% Increase
Spaced Tile
4 Ft. Requires 52.1% Increase (Not Shown)
Conclusions
In concluding it can be seen from the figures in Appendix A there
are several options that exist in fill selections classified as Reduced
Fouling Fills. The continued efforts to improve the thermal characteristics of these types of fills have produced a varied selection to
choose from depending upon the quality of the circulating water
and the environment. However, in general the more reduced fouling
effective the fill is there is a performance trade off due to the physical characteristics required to achieve this goal.
APPENDIX A
% of Capability Comparison
Figure A1
Duty A
R=10 F, A=6 F, Q/A = 3.5, WBT = 78 F
Figure A2
Duty B
R=10 F, A=10 F, Q/A = 6.0, WBT = 78 F
Figure A3
Duty C
R=10 F, A=14 F, Q/A = 8.0, WBT = 78 F
Required % Plan Area Comparison
Figure B1
Duty A
R=10 F, A=6 F, Q/A = 3.5, WBT = 78 F
Figure B2
Duty B
R=10 F, A=10 F, Q/A = 6.0, WBT = 78 F
Figure B3
Duty C
R=10 F, A=14 F, Q/A = 8.0, WBT = 78 F
14
15
% of Capability Comparison continued
16
Required % Plan Area Comparison
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17
Required % Plan Area Comparison contd
APPENDIX B
Fill Characteristic Curves
Curve No.1
Curve No.5
Curve No.9
Curve No.13
Curve No.18
Curve No.22
Curve No.26
FB20
FC18
SNCS
AAFNCS
RF20
DF254
Spaced Tile
4, 6, 8, Ft.
4, 6, 8, Ft.
1, 1.5, 2 M
1, 1.5, 2, 2.5 M
5, 6.5, 8 Ft.
2.5, 5, 7.5 Ft.
3.25, 6.0 Ft.
Fill Heights
Fill Heights
Fill Heights
Fill Heights
Fill Heights
Fill Heights
Fill Heights
Fill Pressure Drop Curves

Curve No.2
Curve No.3
Curve No.4
Curve No.6
Curve No.7
Curve No.8
Curve No.10
Curve No.11
Curve No.12
Curve No.14
Curve No.15
Curve No.16
Curve No.17
Curve No.19
Curve No.20
Curve No.21
Curve No.23
Curve No.24
Curve No.25
Curve No.27
Curve No.28
18
FB20
FB20
FB20
FC18
FC18
FC18
SNCS
SNCS
SNCS
AAFNCS
AAFNCS
AAFNCS
AAFNCS
RF20 5 Ft
RF20 6.5
RF20 8
DF254
DF254
DF254
Spaced Tile
Spaced Tile
4 Ft Fill Height
6 Ft Fill Height
8 Ft Fill Height
4 Ft Fill Height
6 Ft Fill Height
8 Ft Fill Height
1 M Fill Height
1.5 M Fill Height
2 M Fill Height
1 M Fill Height
1.5 M Fill Height
2 M Fill Height
2.5 M Fill Height
Fill Height
Ft Fill Height
Ft Fill Height
2.5 Ft Fill Height
5 Ft Fill Height
7.5 Ft Fill Height
3.25 Ft Fill Height
6.0 Ft Fill Height
Q/A = 4, 6, 8
Q/A = 4, 6, 8
Q/A = 4, 6, 8
Q/A = 4, 6, 8
Q/A = 4, 6, 8
Q/A = 4, 6, 8
Q/A = 4, 6, 8
Q/A = 4, 6, 8
Q/A = 4, 6, 8
Q/A = 4, 6, 8
Q/A = 4, 6, 8
Q/A = 4, 6, 8
Q/A = 4, 6, 8
Q/A = 4, 6, 8
Q/A = 4, 6, 8
Q/A = 4, 6, 8
Q/A = 4, 6, 8
Q/A = 4, 6, 8
Q/A = 4, 6, 8
Q/A = 4, 6, 8
Q/A = 4, 6, 8
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
Large Scale Mechanical Equipment

Replacement - Simple Steps for Success
David M. Suptic P.E. LLC
ness, bolt hole locations, and details of the gear reducer location relative to existing support beams. (Figure 1)
Abstract:
Faced with multiple gear reducer
failures on two large cooling towers, an international power generation facility replaced 28 sets of rear
reduction drives and supporting
structure with new, upgraded equipment. A description of the unique
nature of this large scale equipment
replacement project provides the
David M. Suptic
reader with several key steps to
insure success on construction products of a similar nature.
Introduction:
After less than two years of operation a new power generation facility located in western Turkey experienced a series
of cooling tower gear drive failures. The new cooling towers
were two large counterflow units, each with 14 cells of back
to back 10 Meter diameter fan drives. The cooling towers
provided heat removal for a four unit-1650 megawatt gas
fired cogeneration plant. The cooling towers were constructed
of pultruded fiberglass and circulated sea water for cooling.
Figure 1
The condition of the supporting wide flange beams was satisfactory even though their material was galvanized steel, but
there was considerable corrosion of the 10" square tube supporting the old mechanical system. (Figure 2)
Replacement of the failing gear drives was necessary to prevent the loss of power generation capacity. Mechanical failures and replacements are not uncommon on large industrial
cooling towers, however, such replacements are usually performed on one or two cells with limited plant impact. The
urgency of this particular replacement and the large number
of units to be replaced created the need to apply successful
project management and field construction techniques in an
environment of language and cultural diversity, to say the least!
The writer served as a technical advisor to the project manager for the 28 cell mechanical equipment replacement project.
Background:
The project was divided into three distinct phases; initial field
measurement and verification, trial installation, and final installation. Accurate field measurement of existing mechanical support beams was considered critical to insure the proper
design and fabrication of new mechanical supports. Seven
months before actual equipment installation, the writer performed field measurements of beam sizes, elevations, level-
34
Figure 2
A trial installation of two gear reducers with torque tube type

supports was scheduled one month prior to final installation.
While domestic projects of this type may not require this extra step, the logistics of shipping a large number of units across
the Atlantic Ocean made it more important to perform this
trial installation. A construction process could also be created that would be reviewed and approved by power plant
35
36
37
managers. The local workers would also have an opportunity

to learn the process of cooling tower construction before full
scale installation.
Final installation was planned for July 2005. Unfortunately
the weather during July in western Turkey is very hot, up to
40 degrees C (104 degrees F). This hot temperature would
impact the construction schedule but worker safety was very
important. The work crew consisted of 17 Turkish carpenters and one construction foreman who was experienced with
power plant construction. None of the workers spoke English or were able to read drawings. The foreman spoke
broken English and was able to instruct workers on the proper
cooling tower construction methods. Two plant engineers
assisted with communication and coordination with plant operations personnel. The engineers spoke fluent English.
Two 50 Ton cranes were used in the final construction phase,
one at each cooling tower. The work crews were split evenly
between the two towers. Only one cell on each tower could
be shut down at a time to keep the plant on line. Work was
initially scheduled for 12 hours per day, six days per week.
The high heat forced the schedule be relaxed to nine hour
days. The project manager believed the total project could be
completed within 18 working days. A construction process
was needed that would produce a safe job with a minimum of
delays.
The Process:
Since the gear reducer model and manufacturer were to be
changed, the support system design was also revised. The
new structural support and gear reducer would raise the fan
height by approximately 15.25 cm (6 inches). It was important to verify the existing motor power wiring could be used
with the new mechanical system. Although the wire could
not be lengthened, the conduit system had enough play to
accommodate the additional equipment height. (Figure 3)
During the initial trial installation, the complete motor segment of the fan cylinder was to be removed. This work proved
to be very time consuming for the work crews to erect scaffolding and unbolt the segment. There was also concern for
the structural integrity of the remaining fan cylinder segments.
So, for subsequent construction a large square opening would
be cut around the motor and support to allow removal of the
old torque tube assembly. (Figure 4)
Figure 4
This opening would later be resealed with the old segment

parts bolted together with fiberglass bands.
The area under the mechanical equipment was completely
covered with scaffold planks and surrounded with a guard
rail. With this level of fall protection in place, no climbing
harnesses were required by the workers as they worked in
the fan cell.
During trial installation, individual mechanical components
were removed and reinstalled by crane hoist. This process
was time consuming but helped the work crew learn how to
handle the mechanical components individually. Each old gear
reducer and fan hub was removed as an assembly and taken
to the plants machine shop where a torch, hub puller, and
hydraulic jack were used to separate the hub components.
Figure (5)
Figure 5
Figure 3
38
39
The galvanized fan hub plates were reconditioned by sandblasting and painting with Urethane paint. Epoxy paint would
have been preferred but was not available. There was considerable galvanic corrosion between the Aluminum fan blade
clamps, galvanized steel fan blade shanks, and the galvanized
hub. The use of Aluminum fan blade clamps for sea water duty
cooling towers is not generally recommended. Additional corrosion was also observed on the blade skin attachment bolts which
could lead to eventual blade failure. Correction of this deficiency
will be addressed in the future. (Figure 6).
Figure 7
filling the gear reducer with oil, fabricating and installing the
fan shroud closure, rewiring the motor and checking rotation
direction, installing a new anti-rotation device to prevent backward fan rotation, and finally clearing the cell of fall protection equipment, closing the access door, and operating the
fan.
The trial installation of two cells helped the work crew and
project managers fully understand the many steps that must
be sequenced and performed properly to insure the best possible installation. The new mechanical equipment operated
perfectly but the two trial installations had taken 36 work
hours to complete with a crew of seven men.
Final Installation Project:
Figure 6
New split taper bushings were supplied to reinstall the fans,

and the steel center hub was sandblasted and repainted with
Urethane paint. The original fan assembly bolts were reused after careful cleaning. These stainless steel bolts were
torqued to appropriate values without bolt lubricant. As the
trial installation progressed the new torque tubes were set in
place. The position was measured to insure the fan would
be centered with the fan shroud. Hold down hole positions
were marked using the torque tube as a template. The torque
tube was removed with a crane hoist and new holes were
drilled in the existing support beams using a magnetic base
drill.
26 new gear reducers, torque tube supports and associated

material arrived at the power plant in time for a project start
date of July 20. The construction process was closely reviewed for any potential time saving adjustments. Two
changes were proposed that would drastically reduce overall
time to complete each mechanical system change out.
First, the mechanical equipment would be preassembled on
the ground next to the cooling tower and the complete assembly hoisted on to the tower. This process is used successfully in the United States and with some rigging adjustments; the Turkish crew became comfortable with the hoisting process. (Figure 8)
The torque tube was hoisted and bolted to the support beams.
Then the old motor, gear reducer, and drive shaft were reinstalled on the torque tube. The first drive shaft alignment
was performed by a senior millwright from the power plant
staff. Special steel adaptor rings for holding the dial indicator were fabricated in the plant. (Figure 7 ).
Since the workers had little experience with cooling tower
construction it was very interesting observing the trial and
error process used to shim, bolt down, measure alignment,
and do again until correct alignment was achieved. Several
additional steps would be required to finish the installation
including, fan blade installation, oil and vent line installation,
40
Figure 8
41
By hoisting the completed power-pack all the new gear

reducers could be pre mounted to the torque tubes at ground
level. The, as each old motor and drive shaft became available during the disassembly phase, the power pack assembly
could be completed including initial drive shaft alignment.
One key to success when replacing multiple sets of mechanical equipment is to perform as much work as possible on the
ground. This is especially valid in hot weather because the
work is much more difficult inside the fan shroud with 100%
cooling tower humidity surrounding the workers. Workers
inside the fan cell required frequent breaks to prevent heat
exhaustion.
Additional time saving steps were incorporated as the new
power packs were being installed in the fan cell. The power
pack was carefully positioned on the existing support beams
and then centered by measuring the radius from the fan hub
bushing flange to the inside surface of the shroud. By measuring in four places the power pack assembly could be moved
and centered very accurately (within +/- 5 millimeters). (Figure 9). The hold down hole locations were marked using the
Figure 10
cause of the time required to sandblast, paint, and cure the

hub plates. Fortunately, the plant had two spare hub plates
that were cycled into the process. This ensured two completed plates were available as soon as the rest of the fan hub
reconditioning was complete. Fan blade shanks and aluminum blade clamps were cleaned up with emery cloth by the
work crew as slack time permitted.
The fiberglass shroud openings were cut with angle grinders
which made quick work of shaping the fiberglass parts to fit.
Custom closures for holes in the old shroud were fabricated
by hand and shaped with the grinders too. Workers were
always careful to observe safety precautions when grinding
on the fan deck. Fire extinguishers and a fire hose were at
hand for any unexpected sparks.
Figure 9
torque tube as a template. To save even more construction

time the power pack was hoisted and moved aside with the
motor sticking through the fan shroud access door. Holes
were drilled in the support beams and the power pack was
quickly moved back in place and bolted down tight. Drive
shafts were aligned to final tolerances after the power pack
was bolted in place.
Another helpful time saver was to preassemble the stainless
steel oil lines and vent lines on the ground. All 26 units were
preassembled when workers had any slack time. They were
easily hoisted into place through the top of the fan shroud and
quickly connected to the power pack assembly. (Figure 10)
The turnaround time for removal and refurbishing the old fan
hubs became the bottleneck in the construction process be-
42
It was very important for the work crew to coordinate efforts with the plant operation and maintenance personnel.
Plant personnel coordinated and performed the fan hub refurbishment and provided electricians to disconnect and reconnect the motors and install new vibration switches. Lock
out/tag out of the fan motors was performed by plant engineers when any motor was taken out of service or the new
cell was started up. The plant painter was required to apply
epoxy touch up paint to the torque tube and gear reducers
before they were put into service.
Before each new cell was put back into service the fan blade
pitch was adjusted to 10 1/2 degrees to achieve optimum motor
amperage. Adjusting the pitch was necessary because of
slightly different fan speed and the increased fan elevation
within the fan cylinder. Vibration on the fan shroud had increased, compared to original uncut stack, but remained within
acceptable levels.
Conclusion:
The time required to deconstruct and reinstall each fan cell
was reduced from 16 -18 hours per cell to less than 12 hours
per cell by employing the time saving techniques described in

this paper. The Turkish construction crew was able to quickly
learn and effectively apply common cooling tower construction practices without the aid of detailed construction drawings or specifications. Each technique was described to plant
engineers and the construction superintendent who taught the
workers everything the needed to complete the job.
Worksite material control is always a problem at construction
sites. It is especially important to maintain tight material control when the jobsite is overseas because of the difficulty in
obtaining replacement parts. Hardware is particularly difficult to control, and the large stainless steel mechanical hold
down bolts were prone to seizing under repeated tightening.
Several bolts were lost to seizing and were replaced through
local supply. Additional small bolts were discovered missing
late in the project and had to be replaced. All of the job
material had been stored in open crates adjacent to each
tower. Workers had free access to the material as needed
on the job. Had all the hardware been separated, counted out
per cell, and issued to the site as each cell was started, the
material shortages would have been identified earlier and
controlled better.
alignment. New fan hub bushing is mounted on fan

shaft. Plugs are glued into torque tube openings.
8. 10 Meter diameter fan blades are removed from hub.
Old gear box hold-down bolts are removed. Crane
lowers gear box and fan hub to grade. Unit is moved
to plant workshop.
9. Mechanical support hold-down bolts are removed and
support is lowered to grade with crane.
10. Old fan hub is removed from old gear box with torch
and hydraulic jack. Old hub plates are sand blasted
and repainted. Fan center hub is cleaned by hand
and painted with enamel paint.
11. Power pack is lifted to the fan cell and gently positioned on old structural beams.
12. Fan bushing mounted on gear reducer shaft is used
to center the power pack in the fan cell. When centered, holes in torque tube feet are used to mark support beams for drilling.
13. Power pack is moved aside and supported with crane.
Holes drilled in support beams with a magnetic base
drill.
The 28 cell installation was completed in 20 nine hour work

days with a crew of 17 men and two cranes. The two trial
installation cells had to be reworked because of paint deficiencies that were corrected at the plant. Success was
achieved in a difficult work environment because of the creativity and work ethic of the Turkish crew and supporting
plant personnel.
14. Power pack is reset in place and bolted down tight.

Any spots with gaps between the torque tube feet
and support beams are shimmed with stainless steel
shims.
By applying key time saving construction techniques and paying close attention to the process bottleneck, impact to the
power plant was minimized and satisfaction of the plant management was achieved. 21 steps to success are summarized:
16. Fan is reassembled on new gear reducer. Blades

are pitched as specified with digital inclinometer. Tip
clearance is checked around fan circumference.
1. Stop the fan motor. Lockout / tagout at the MCC.

2. Scaffold and plank area under the fan and mechanical equipment.
3. Unbolt and unwire motor. Disconnect old vibration
switch. Lower motor to ground with crane.
4. Motor is placed on torque tube and gear reducer is
mounted to power pack on grade.
5. Drive shaft is removed and lowered to power pack
at grade.
6. Drive shaft hub and hardware is placed on gear reducer input shaft along with anti-rotation device.
7. Power pack of new mechanical equipment and old
motor/drive shaft is completed including drive shaft
15. Motor is rewired, new vibration switch is mounted

on torque tube support
17. Oil line and vent line that have been previously assembled at grade are lifted by crane and assembled
onto torque tube.
18. New closure pieces are fitted around torque tube opening. Backing plates are bolted across the cut made
when fan cylinder segment was removed. Coupling
guard is modified to fit fan cylinder and screwed into
place.
19. Gear reducer is filled with mineral oil and external oil
level placard is set at the full level. All mechanical
and structural bolting is checked for proper torque.
20. Scaffolding is cleared from the fan cell. Final check
is made for material removed from cell.
21. Door is closed and fan started. Vibration switch set
at 0 .3 in/sec trip level. Motor amperage is measured.
43
Roulette And Mechanical Vibration

Switches: What Are Your Odds?
By Gene Ort, Internet Marketing JV
Its the old 80-20 rule but in reverse: 80% of the

switches handle 20% of the problems. The rest
of the time, they are clueless. Why do you
think we call them earthquake switches?
Abstract
You have a better chance of winning at roulette
than protecting your cooling towers with mechanical vibration switches. The odds at roulette are
relatively straight forward. There are 36 numbers
with which you might win plus two sure-loss
house numbers: 0 & 00. If you play just numbers with a payoff of 35 to 1 for a win, long-term,
you probably lose 5.26% of your money. Thats
like a mortgage without the house.
The Nature of the Problem

In many plants, cooling towers are still consid-
The odds of protecting your cooling towers with

mechanical vibration switches from excessive vibration are more difficult to calculate. But they
are so poor, precision isnt necessary to make the
Gene Ort
point. It is tempting to para-phrase the old saying, Close only counts in horseshoes, hand grenades, and mechanical vibration switches, but that does a disservice to horseshoes.
ered BOP (Balance of Plant) meaning they deserve less investment and attention than more
critical machines: a legacy from the times of
less plant efficiency and substantial excess
cooling capacity. Now, there is greater production efficiency and less capital spent on cooling towers. Excess cooling capacity has diminished. In many plants, if you lose a cooling
In many plants, cooling towers are no longer balance of plant (BOP)

equipment worthy of only symbolic, minimal, or lowest cost protection from excessive vibration. Losing a cell in the heat of summer can reduce production throughput. With their increasing significance, cooling towers require better protection than afforded
by mechanical vibration switches. With any reasonable definition
of protection, a case will be made that mechanical vibration
switches, called earthquake switches in the trade, may offer no
protection at all from the excessive vibration of the rotating equipment in your cooling towers. Mechanical vibration switches do
sense shock. They sense vibration at very high levels or high rpm
and may give notice that a disastrous failure has just occurred.
Better solutions will be listed with pros and cons.
Introduction: Its Your Choice- Effective Cooling Tower Protection
or Disaster Confirmation
Figure 1 is a greatly simplified nomograph based on physics and
the generally accepted values of the condition of rotating equipment. It represents the accumulated knowledge of decades of the
vibration instrumentation industry. It is developed in detail at the
papers end (see figs. 1a-1d). In log scale and at a typical 1 G
acceleration switch setting at 1800 rpm driver speed, the sensitivity area for mechanical vibration switches in Fig. 1 begins at over
4 times the level designated as BAD: at the lower fan speeds, it
is over 20 times!
The 80-20 Rule for Earthquake Switches

With any reasonable definition of protection, a case can be made
that mechanical vibration switches, derisively called earthquake
switches in the trade, offer little or no protection for rotating
equipment from excessive vibration in cooling towers.
44
Fig. 1
tower in the heat of summer, cooling capacity drops below 100%,
production is decreased and cooling towers are Not BOP Anymore
If plant managers and underwriters do not know, vibration analysts
do know that cooling towers present a particularly challenging situation for monitoring its vibration. The train includes an electric
motor drive, usually at 1800 rpm, long jack-shaft, right angle speed
reduction gearbox to approximately 100 to 300 rpm, and large diameter fans (fig. 2). This machine is large, complex, production depen-
Fig. 2
45
dant and may be the last machine in your plant on which you want
a mechanical vibration switch. But 15,000 to 20,000 mechanical
vibration switches go into service every year: most on cooling tow-
1.
Acceleration is your best solution for monitoring cooling

towers
2.
Displacement is for deformation or bending (inferring not

machine vibration)
3.
Velocity is most useful for sound (again, inferring not machine vibration)
ers.
The Scope of the Problem

There could be over a quarter-million mechanical vibration switches
out there. There are three major manufacturers of mechanical vibration switches which are typically sold to cooling tower manufacturers (OEMs) in substantial volume. One switch manufacturer claimed
on their web site that 125,000 switches have been installed. There
are likely over 15-20,000 new switches going into service every
year. In addition, there is also a switch that uses a pedestal and ball
with a chain to a switch. If the tower shakes enough, the ball falls
off the pedestal to initiate the switch action, to be reset by hand.
Terminology
In the development of figure 1 and the basic vibration information
that follows, four terms are used:
1.
frequency (in cpm= cycles per minute or RPM = cycles at

running speed)
2. acceleration (in Gs)
3. velocity (in ips = inches per second)
4. displacement (in mils peak to peak)
They refer to the movement of points on the machine and are related by physics. Given frequency and one point, the other two can
be calculated and shown on the graph.
Accepted Use of These Terms

By their design, mechanical vibration switches are sensitive to acceleration only. There is no signal from which to generate more
meaningful information about a machines operating condition and
generate meaningful alarm levels.
Electronic switches and monitors use an accelerometer to produce
a dynamic signal containing all the significant contributors of
interest. This signal can be used with instrumentation to:
1.
2.
3.
Develop overall vibration (not shock values)

a. In terms of acceleration
b. Be integrated to show overall vibration in velocity
c. Be integrated again to show overall vibration in
displacement (not recommended)
Use the waveform (complex signal) for analysis
Develop spectra of the various contributors to vibration
for analysis.
Debunking Eight Myths

By misusing the terminology above, some myths developed over
the years about the design, suitability for the purpose and accuracy
of mechanical vibration switches, especially as they relate to cooling tower protection.
Myth #1- Use acceleration, not velocity or displacement
To place mechanical vibration switches as solutions for monitoring
cooling towers, vendors marketing promotes the term acceleration over the other, more relevant terms used for that purpose.
Examples:
46
Fact: Velocity and displacement are used to monitor vibration in

the overwhelming majority of rotating equipment in the world. The
claims of mechanical vibration switch vendors fly in the face of all
accepted practice of vibration monitoring whether for protection or
analysis; for cooling towers or most of the other machines in the
world. Remember, acceleration is all that these vendors have.
Myth #2- Design & Suitability for Purpose
Claims are made that a mechanical vibration switch is effective for
slow to medium speed machines, or 0 to 3600 rpm. (Right of the
website)
Fact: It depends on what the definition of is is. It depends more
on what the definition of effective is. Take a quick look at Figure 1
again. That claim is simply not true for vibration or any reasonable
definition of effective.
Myth #3- Acceleration is KING
Reference by proponents is made to Newtons Law F=MA. In
context, it is meant to leave the impression that acceleration is
essential and by their absence that displacement & velocity are
not. F=MA is appropriate if you want to launch your cooling tower,
and occasionally they do; likely with their mechanical vibration
switch.
Myth #4- Unique Terminology used for Mechanical
Vibration Switches
Terms are used by proponents of mechanical vibration switches
such as acceleratory vibration and acceleratory shock. This
looks and sounds good: highly technical.
Fact: An Internet search for acceleratory vibration brings up one
page and its the vendors. When is the last time you got a one
page hit for any search? Acceleratory shock gets 20 hits, but all
related to sites promoting mechanical vibration switches with no
other reference in the world of internet searches.
Myth #5- Set Point Accuracy
Some manufacturers claim accuracy of set point adjustment.
Fact: These are very crude devices. Do you know how to check to
see if the switch is set for 1 G? Pick it up and rotate the switch 90
(on its side). If you hear the mechanism click, youre set for
approximately 1 G. If you can rotate the switch 180 (upside down)
before you hear the click, the switch is set for approximately 2 Gs.
Note there was no vibration involved.
Further, this is likely how production sets the unit prior to shipping to the OEM or end user since it is quick and less costly than
setting the units on the huge shakers necessary for the switches
large mass. You can also get the click if you hit it hard enough
with a big enough hammer. In real life, if the cooling tower has
substantial shock or bump on startup and the switch activates,
the solution is to crank it up until it doesnt bother you anymore. That higher setting is unknown and likely quite high, further
limiting the switch sensitivity in the cooling tower vibration levels
of interest.
47
Myth #6- Range Accuracy

In most instrumentation, you match the instrument range to expected values in operation preferring not to operate too near the
bottom or top of the range. Some mechanical vibration switch
product lines show multiple ranges leaving it up to you to draw
whatever conclusions you wish about the accuracy and suitability
for your use. Its not clear how one chooses between 2, 4.5, 5, or 10
g models.
Fact: It is likely that all the mechanisms of one manufacture are the
same but different ranges are claimed. Inquiry of your vendor is
appropriate. If it is true in your case, the 2 G switch you bought
thinking you have narrower range with finer adjustment is really
as course as a 10 G switch.
Myth #7- Cost
Legacy issues include the perception that mechanical vibration
switches are cheap and do the job.
Fact: There are some cheap switches available in the $200-$300
range. Prices off the Internet can go from $200 to over $700 for
some models. But if they are unsuitable to protect your cooling
towers, any price is too high. For similar prices, there are much
better solutions available.
The OEMs that buy mechanical vibration switches in quantity, do
buy for substantially less unit cost. Its up to the user to specify
better solutions and possibly pay a little more for better protection
of this valuable plant asset.
What is the cost of lost production? What does it cost to replace
a gearbox or repair the damage to the cell if the fan throws a blade?
Or worse? Is saving just one of those disasters worth $200 to
$500?
Very Basic Applied Vibration

Vibration is a symptom of underlying machine component condition and the overall function of the machine. To better understand
the statements of this paper and the claims of mechanical vibration
switch manufacturers, only the basics of vibration needs to be
understood; essential to make your own informed judgment. The
following analogies support this abbreviated vibration primer:
are very complex. Basic machine vibration is made up of a variety

of vibrations contributed by the machine components, its mounting, blade aerodynamics, and other process & environmental factors. In the case of cooling towers, the overall vibration, high or
low, is comprised of the summation of all vibration contributions at
varying frequencies and amplitudes from:
1. the electric motor drive
a. mechanical imbalance, electrical imbalance, misalignment,
bearing frequencies, soft motor mounting and more; a function of driver RPM.
2. the gearbox
a. mechanical imbalance, misalignment, bearing frequencies,
and gear mesh frequencies; a function of driver RPM and
fan RPM.
3. the fan
a. mechanical imbalance, misalignment, and aerodynamic contributions; a function of fan RPM, the number of blades and
other factors.
4. Other cells (propagation) and the environment (such as trains
going by in close proximity)
The most destructive energy on any machine is imbalance and
misalignment. Their energy level at frequencies of one or two times
running speed is so large a part of overall vibration, it usually
masks the other higher frequency contributions depending upon
where the measurement is taken and for what purpose. Overall
vibration is measured by the electronic vibration switch and is
most effected by imbalance and misalignment. Only your analyst
can give you the details of the condition of the machine by establishing baselines and watching over time to see how the various
frequencies change. Your GP may tell you if you are in good health
or not, but you wouldnt go into open heart surgery without a
cardiologist and at least results from your electrocardiogram.
Likely causes of vibration in cooling towers

In cooling towers, there are many contributors to vibration but
likely causes of vibration include:
1.
Analogies: Overall Values vs. Complex
Light
We think of light in overall terms as intense, bright, soft, or dim.
Weve all been fascinated as kids to find that sunlight separates
into its different colors (frequencies) by use of a prism or as an
explanation for what makes a rainbow.
Sound
We know that the sound we hear can be thought of as loud or faint
and yet it too is complex. Submariners can tell the class and name
of Russian submarines from their complex and unique signatures.
Even without the fancy instrumentation, humans are wonderful
sound analyzers. A song no sooner starts and you know if it Bing
or Sting, Minnelli or Bocelli. Your phone rings, you answer, and
within two words, you know its your wife and whether or not you
are in trouble.
Vibration
Overall vibration levels can be high or low, but like sound and light,
48
2.
3.
4.
5.
Plugging weep holes in a fan blade is a source of great

imbalance as condensate builds within only one of several blades.
The aerodynamic performance of the fan blades can be
significant. One reported case had blades getting a lift as
they passed over the jackshaft. That would show us as
significant imbalance at a frequency equal to the number
of blades times running speed.
Misalignment of motor to gearbox at the end of the long
jackshaft can be significant at one or two times running
speed.
Gearboxes in early stages of degradation offer dramatic
dynamic signals but show little effect on overall vibration
readings. In later stages, their contribution to overall vibration gets significant.
The same can be said of rolling element bearings in the
gearbox or motor. An interesting side note to this is that
rolling element bearings often appear to get better just
before complete failure.
49
6.
Electric motors can contribute to imbalance due to soft

foot mounting which shows up at two times running speed.
The effects of broken rotor bars show up at running
speed in normally taken data. Before you start a balancing procedure, make sure you know the source. A vibration analyst can set up to take readings with greater resolution than normal to separate the motor running speed
from the 50 or 60 Hz driving frequency. They are close but
not exactly the same due to slip. Broken rotor bars are a
major contributor to electrical imbalance.
arrangement may vary but in principle, it is represented by fig. 5.
Simple Vibration Measurements

A very simple sinusoidal vibration signal looks like that shown in
fig. 3 and is measured in velocity, displacement & acceleration at its
frequency.
Figure 5
They are sensitive to acceleration only and can be activated by
shock, position, or high levels of vibration inappropriate for adequate cooling tower protection.
There is another even simpler version of a mechanical vibration
switch. It is referred to as a ball & pedestal type. See fig. 6.
Shake the tower enough and the ball comes off of the pedestal
activating the switch. Resetting is manual.
Figure 6
Figure 3
Machine Vibration Measurements

All components of a machine generatedifferent frequencies and
energy levels which contribute to the overall vibration measured.
For illustration purposes only, these various frequencies are shown
in fig. 4 on a spectrum plot of a fan with significant imbalance and
looseness.
Alternatives to Mechanical Vibration Switches

They include:
1.
Accelerometer mounted on gearbox (see fig. 7) With a

cable run to a box outside the cell.
Figure 4
Principle of Operation of a Mechanical Vibration

Switch (MVS)
Why do Mechanical vibration switches sense only acceleration
and none of the other measurements of vibration? Take a look at
typical construction of the mechanism. Most MVSs consist of
springs, magnets, a lever arm, and 1 or 2 snap action switches. The
50
Figure 7
51
This is not protection 24/7 but a complement to an

installed vibration switch.
2. Electronic vibration switch mounted on the gearbox
3. Vibration transmitter mounted on the gearbox
4. Single channel monitor mounted outside the cell using an
accelerometer on the gearbox.
5. Dual path monitor using a single installed accelerometer
6. A multi-channel monitor with single or double accelerometers installed per machine train.
Alternatives 2 through 6 offer a substantially superior solution
for protecting cooling towers than do mechanical vibration
switches. They share one thing in common: they use an accelerometer and electronic circuitry to capture the relative dynamic vibration signal and process it to meaningful & useful overall vibration levels or for analysis when needed.
The electronic switch uses an internal accelerometer and is installed
as a unit. The monitor solutions use external accelerometers mounted
on the gearbox with instrumentation outside the cell.
Are there advantages of electronic switches over mechanical vibrations switches? Yes. As standard or optional features, you get:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
d.
Accurate sensing of the vibration found in the rotating

equipment in cooling towers
More precise and relevant alarm and shutdown set-point
adjustability
Adjustable time delay to ride through transient events
eliminating the need to run at set points higher than those
needed for prudent protection levels
Smaller size that is more appropriate for mounting on the
gearbox directly
Easy access to the dynamic signal needed for analysis
and quicker turn around on repairs
Valuable cooling tower information to trend and display
on your DCS operator interface.
Important Notes:
a.
b.
c.
52
REPLACEMENT OF MVS: If you are going to replace a

mechanical vibration switch, do not remove or disconnect
it before your alternative solution is installed and operational.
LEAVE THE MVS INSTALLED: Consider leaving the mechanical vibration switch installed in a belt and suspenders approach to protecting a cooling tower: you have
already paid for it. Mechanical switches do sense shock
whereas electronic vibration switches sense vibration and
should have adjustable 3 to 5 second time delays built in
to override short-term episodes. Failure of some component might occur without vibration being a precursor.
MOUNTING A VIBRATION SWITCH: As seen in figure
8, both mechanical and electronic vibration switches can
be mounted in a poor or totally ineffective position. This
electronic switch is mounted on an extension of the
structures frame. Its axis of sensitivity is parallel to the
jack shaft with its mounting negating most if not all the
benefits of the electronic vibration switch. Consult someone who knows this application about the mounting of
your current switch or its replacement. If you like, attach
Figure 8
a digital image of the switch installation to an e-mail and
send it to me at geneort@geneort.com for comment. I
would be glad to help.
SET POINT FOR ALARM OR SHUTDOWN: How do
operators know what cooling tower vibration levels are
normal or tolerable and what levels are dangerous? That
is a good question. It is addressed in general terms on the
nomograph overlays of Good to Bad. See fig. 1C.
There is no one answer but 0.5 ips velocity is high in most
applications. But this is only a reference and not a recommendation for any specific machine. Of the many calls
I have received over the years with this question, I ask,
What does your vibration analyst say? The answer all
too often is, I dont know. I didnt ask. Check with your
analyst or if you use a contract analyst, ask them. They
are a good source of this information. The reason is that
it is important to know the baseline levels, current levels
and performance of the cooling tower in the past. It depends on the vibration sensing device, where it is mounted,
how it is mounted and your analyst can answer with that
in mind. Often, the levels are negotiated between operations and maintenance for practical plant/machine related issues.
Some application issues for each electronic vibration switch solution include:
1.
2.
Mounting an accelerometer on gearbox (see fig. 7)

Using an accelerometer and running the cable to a box
outside the cell is a partial solution. In itself, it is not
installed protection but is used by many to manually
monitor a tower periodically. It gets the dynamic vibration signal into an area more easily and safely accessed
by an analyst collecting the data for long-term trending or
trouble shooting. It is data you should get regardless of
your protection solution. If done well, it will complement
vibration switches by giving early warning of problems
and likely pin-point the source for quicker repairs. If it is
already installed, install an electronic vibration switch for
the 24/7 protection of the machine as soon as possible.
Electronic vibration switch mounted on the gearbox
This is a common replacement tactic offering the advantages of an internal accelerometer, relatively moderate cost,
53
3.
4.
5.
6.
54
but if replacing a mechanical vibration switch, requires

power be run to the unit and with some added cost. If the
switch is mounted on the gearbox, it still leaves the question of getting that important dynamic signal out to the
vibration specialist.
ADVANCED NOTICE: By the time this paper is distributed, there will be on the market (or soon to be on the
market) an inexpensive two-wire electronic switch designed specifically to replace mechanical vibration switches
without the sometimes high cost of running added power
lines to new powered electronic vibration switches. Just
pull the mechanical switch and install the electronic switch.
It will run off of the same line and you get all the benefits
of an electronic switch.
Vibration transmitter mounted on the gearbox
While not common in use on cooling towers, a vibration
transmitter mounted on the gearbox, can be used in conjunction with a PLC or DCS trending the 4-20mA signal
and giving relay action based on preset alarm and shutdown levels. Some offer 4-20 mA signal and the dynamic
signal which can be run to a box with a BNC jack for the
analyst although the full range of frequencies for appropriate analysis may not be available to the analyst. Caution is suggested.
Single channel monitor mounted outside the cell
Using an existing installed accelerometer or install one
and add a single channel monitor outside the cell. Make
sure the dynamic signal is available for the vibration analyst. Note the terminology in the industry: A single channel monitor may be called an electronic vibration switch
with a remote accelerometer. The terms are interchangeable. The device does the same job.
Dual path monitor
This is a solution using a single installed accelerometer
to a monitor that splits the signal and processes it for
both velocity (for the driver speed) and displacement
(for the low speed fan). At 1800 rpm, velocity is the best
choice. For 100 to 600 rpm, displacement is a better
choice. The problem with this solution is that the signal
from the accelerometer is integrated once to get velocity
which is standard industry practice. Double integration
of the signal is required to get displacement and this
gives signals with high noise to signal ratios. This can
be problematic so caution is advised. Worst case: if
tried and problems arise, you can ignore displacement
and still have a full functioning electronic vibration
switch with all of the advantages over mechanical
vibration switches.
Multi-channel monitor
Given that multiple cooling tower cells are in a common
structure, there can be advantage to running the signals
from installed accelerometers to a common instrument for
processing. This depends on a comparison of total installed costs.
Some Notes About Vendors

There are many vendors of electronic vibration switches with good
products that will outperform mechanical vibration switches. Those
who supply both may have compromised their credibility in the
manner in which they market their mechanical offerings. That judgment is yours to make. You are welcomed to contact me at
geneort@verizon.net or call my cell at 979-739-7279 to find out
more about products and services available to meet your cooling
tower monitoring needs.
Bio: Gene Ort is a thirty year resident of southeast Texas with a
mechanical engineering degree & holds two patents. Employment
history includes working for a major gas turbine and AC motor
manufacturer, and major manufacturers of instrumentation for vibration monitoring of rotating equipment including cooling towers.
He has had the training for vibration analyst. Gene successfully
led a project that outfitted an entire grassroots refinery in Thailand
with all of the installed vibration monitoring instrumentation as
well as the portable vibration data-loggers and analysis software.
He has spoken to many audiences interested in the protection of
rotating equipment including the Saudi Arabian Chapter of the Vibration Institute.
Vibration Nomograph Simplified

The vibration nomograph referred to in figure 1 at the papers
beginning, is a standard representation of the relationship among
frequency, acceleration, velocity and displacement. It is based
upon physics and I have used it since the early seventies. It is
used in vibration analysis courses as well as by most vibration
instrument manufacturers for the practical application of their products. The only arbitrary data shown are the superimposed lines
labeled from Good to Bad. This represents the accumulated
knowledge and consensus of what constitutes acceptable vibration levels for most machines. Example of the conservative nature
of these values. Bad is over 0.5 inches/second (ips) velocity.
For the purpose of this paper and its relatively narrower scope, the
graph is simplified in steps illustrated in figures 1a through 1d that
follow. If you are familiar with the subject, reading further on is not
necessary. If you are not familiar with the subject, it does not take
great study to see the logic of the argument.
Continued on page 56
55
Fig. 1a is the nomograph with all the lines designating:

Frequency in terms of machine speed (vertical)
velocity (horizontal)
displacement (diagonal bottom left to upper right)
acceleration (diagonal bottom right to upper left)
This is a complex graph, log based, and difficult to use for novices:
simplification is in order.
Fig. 1b is the skeleton of the nomograph

This shows only the lines for frequency, displacement, velocity
and acceleration of interest for cooling tower rotating equipment
Figure 1b
Continued on page 58
Fig. 1a
56
57
Fig. 1c shows the superimposed values of Good to Bad

These are the commonly accepted vibration levels for machines
running at various speeds.
Figure 1c
58
Fig. 1d is figure 1 at the papers beginning with the 1 G

level added for reference
Greatly simplified, it assumes likely set-points for mechanical vibration switches at 1 G (though likely higher), cooling tower drive at
1800 rpm, and accepted vibration levels of a cooling tower.
59
Improving Localized Corrosion in a

Complex Cooling Water System
Michael H. Dorsey, E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Co.
Kevin Daigle, ChemTreat, Inc.
A.F. Brunn
Introduction
built and different heat transfer metallurgies

Historically, water systems in industry have not
were introduced, the need for better quality
received the same attention as process systems.
water became apparent. A pond system was
Until a problem or failure occurred, water sysdeveloped for additional cooling. It consisted
tems were typically considered a cost center
of a 500,000,000 gallon natural bottom pond
whereas the process systems were a profit
for cooling; a water distribution and return syscenter. As a result, many water systems
tem, with entry into the pond system well away
evolved into applications that in todays stanfrom the pumping station (Figure 1.0). Water
dards would not be considered a viable option
was taken from the Sabine River about 30 miles
for new construction. One such system exists
upstream from the plant. The water was supMichael H. Dorsey
at DuPont Sabine in Orange, Texas. The purplied to the plant-site via the Sabine River Aupose of this paper is to document how this large, multifunc- thority (SRA) canal system and not subject to chloride intrutional, cooling water system has been revised to meet the sion. Supply water temperature was achieved by surface
plant cooling requirements while maintaining acceptable cor- evaporation in the pond plus enough water was discharged
rosion and deposition control.
from the pond and replenished with cooler SRA water. In
reality the system was just slightly better than once through.
Background
The first production units at DuPonts Sabine River Works The site currently has nearly a dozen different operating arwere placed into operation in the mid-1940s. Although none eas with an extremely complex site cooling water system.
of the original production units are still operational, the basic
cooling water system that developed over time remains one
of the primary sources of heat removal at the site. Initially,
water was taken from Adams Bayou, adjacent to the plant,
and circulated once through for production areas in the complex. The plant is about 30 miles upriver from the Gulf of
Mexico and during times of dry weather Adams Bayou was
subject to chloride intrusion. As new production units were
After the mid-1960s new production units installed their own

recirculating cooling tower systems for process cooling since
the existing systems had reached their full heat rejection capacity.
During the late 1980s and early 1990s there was a strong
push to lower the amount of water discharged to the river.
The two most obvious high flow sources were the once
through water and the discharge from the pond system. From
the various options available, it was decided to enclose the
pond circulating water system and eliminate the once through
water from Adams Bayou.
Operation Conditions
The current system circulates between 100,000 and 130,000 gpm.
Figure 1.0 DuPont Sabine Site Closed

Cooling Water System
60
Fluctuations in flow are due to varying heat loads in the different process units and to some degree seasonal changes.
Since radiation from the pond would no longer provide the
necessary supply water temperature to the process units, a
125,000 gpm cooling tower with a 25OF temperature differential was erected at the edge of the pond. Return water
from the plant is pumped across the cooling tower and discharged directly into the pond. Suction for the site closed
cooling water system is taken at a point about 200 yards from
the cooling tower (west loop) and a second pumping station
about 400 yards from the pumping station (east loop). The
system is supplied by 65,000 gpm off the East lift station and
61
35,000 gpm from the West lift station. Return water from the
west side of the plant (about 70,000 gpm at this time) crosses
the cooling tower; return water from the east side of the
plant (about 30,000 gpm) is sent through a ditch system to the
far southwest end of the pond system to obtain maximum
natural cooling.
sions, generally in the late fall and winter, it was impossible to

maintain a free chlorine residual in the system.
In early 1996 there was a perception that corrosion in the
system was increasing. Corrosion coupon racks (Figure 2.0)
were set up in a number of operating areas and the results
were, at best, very poor. Carbon steel corrosion rates on 30
Return water to the cooling tower from the west side of the
plant was directed through a wood lined ditch system that
existed in the past and discharged into the river. In fact, the
entire wood lined ditch return was re-directed to the cooling
tower. This included demineralizer regenerant waste, filter
backwash, boiler blowdown, cooling tower blowdown, production area washdown water, rain water runoff from the
site production areas, runoff from the site parking lot, some
runoff from the state highway in front of the site, and even
the runoff from the company golf course across the road
from the plant. All of this water was returned to the site
closed cooling water system across the cooling tower.
Initially, it was thought that the golf course and runoff from
the roadway was a major contributor to many of the problems seen in the site cooling water system. Analyses taken
for some time after this was discovered have never shown a
significant contribution of contamination.
Cooling water is used for a wide variety of process heat reduction methods from jacket cooling of high pressure extruders to in-column, direct cooling of process gases to standard
heat exchangers. There is a wide variety of metallurgy in the
system, from carbon steel and copper bearing metals to a
significant number of various stainless steels.
Before the cooling tower was installed and the system closed,
treatment consisted of chlorination of the circulating water at
the pump suctions. Target control was approximately 1 mg/
l free chlorine, but the capacity of the chlorination system
could not always achieve this residual. Lack of attention to
the chlorine feed system was also a factor in the overall operation of this system. This continued into the initial stages of
the system being closed. Although there is no historical data,
it has been reported that corrosion rates on carbon steel were
in the 20 to 30 mils per year range.
Figure 2.0 Typical Corrosion Rack
day coupons of 20 to 40 mpy were not uncommon and up to

80 mpy was recorded. There was a significant pitting problem on the unheated coupons as well. A review of the system showed the chlorine feed to satisfy the demand was high
enough to drop the pH of the system water well under neutral, sometimes below pH 5. A caustic feed system was installed to overcome the pH suppression and increase alkalinity on both the east and west loops in the fall of 1999. ORP
control of chlorine feed and pH control of caustic feed was
initiated at this time. Although chlorine feed is controlled by
ORP on the supply water downstream of the injection point,
water being returned to the ditch system is regularly checked
for free chlorine. These changes brought the pH back under
control and increased the almost negligible alkalinity back into
a somewhat reasonable range.
Corrosion rates, although much lower, still remained well
above the target 5 mpy on carbon steel (Figure 3.0). Even
Chemical Treatment History

When the cooling tower started up in late 1994 the once
through river water circulating system was integrated into
the pond system, the Adams Bayou water abandoned, and
the discharge to the river significantly reduced. Makeup to
the system was untreated SRA water, a low hardness, low
alkalinity, low silica, low solids water. However, during high
rain periods the organic content and suspended solids content
of the raw water increases dramatically. The system apparently operated without too many problems for the first two
years although there is a lack of historical data to totally support that supposition. During periods of high organic intru-
62
Figure 3.0 - Corrosion Rates (mpy)

with the lower corrosion rates, the pitting of

carbon steel continued at a higher than desirable rate. In addition, under deposit corrosion
on 304L and 316L stainless steel tubing occurred in a number of exchangers resulting in
equipment failure and unplanned production
area shutdowns.
Other 304L and 316L stainless exchangers have
operated without significant problems since the
cooling water system was closed in 1994. Stainless steel corrosion coupons in the system generally showed excellent corrosion rates, usually less
than 0.01 mpy and little to no pitting on the coupons, although there has been an occasional coupon that did show pitting and indication of microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC). The
failed tubing was replaced and inspected for possible feeling that MIC had been the cause of the
tubing failures. Some analyses of deposits from
the failed tubes showed the presence of manganese and there has never been a consensus as to
the exact cause of the failures.
In early 2000 a program was established to

determine microbiological activity both by assessing the sessile and planktonic bacteria
counts in various locations served by the
closed cooling water system. In general,
counts of both were very low when chlorination was maintained properly. These counts
ran between 102 and 104 with averages around
103. There has been an inherent problem with
the chlorination in the summer months. There
have been many times when the demand exceeds the capacity of the chlorine delivery
system to provide sufficient chlorine to maintain the desired residual. This situation is being addressed with a proposed project to increase the pressure of the motive water by
adding booster pumps in the chlorination eduction system.
The plant also started a formal chemical treatment program is early 2000. Because of environmental concerns, several treatment chemistries were not
considered an option. Use of zinc as a cationic inhibitor was
recommended, but site environmental concerns precluded the
use of zinc until all other avenues were investigated. Using
water from the pond system, laboratory spinner bath studies
were performed to determine which treatment program would
provide the best return for the chemical investment.
The initial program consisted of an ortho phosphate, organic
phosphate, and a dispersant (Figure 4.0). It took nearly two
months for the system to stabilize because of its large size
and mud bottom in the pond. In June of 2000, sodium
hexametaphosphate was added to the system to evaluate the

benefits of polyphosphate. In July, 2001, due to a pH of over
8.0 and sometimes approaching 8.5, the oxidizing biocide treatment was modified to include a bromine component. The
addition of bromide was justified based on the high system
pH. Tripolypotassium phosphate feed replaced the
hexametaphosphate in an attempt to reduce reversion to orthophosphate and maintain a higher polyphosphate residual in
the system. Treatment modifications each resulted in slight
improvement of carbon steel corrosion rates, but the success
was always questionable due to inconsistencies in the newer
63
corrosion data. Later review of the data indicated that some

of the flucuations could have been the result of seasonal
changes that impact the system. However, there are even
some inconsistencies with that assumption. Figure 4.0 provides a timetable of the treatment chemistries used in various
trials at the site. It does not include chlorine and caustic
since they have continuously been used.
Even when corrosion rates were lowered, the pitting rate on
carbon steel remained at an unacceptable high level.
would not exceed the zinc limitations at the outfall. It was

anticipated that there would be some insoluble zinc in the
system which proved to be correct. Curves had been developed by the water treatment supplier to show a direct relationship between zinc concentration, orthophosphate concentration, and pH. This data indicated that the best pH range
for operation without excessive zinc precipitation would be in
the range of 7.5 or under. There have been some periods
when insoluble zinc residuals were higher than normal, but
generally these are periods are when the pH in the system is
somewhat high.
Zinc residuals have been closer to 0.2 0.3 ppm, but as can
be seen from Figure 5.0 corrosion rates have improved. Orthophosphate has been controlled between 5 to 7 ppm. The
pH has been a little harder to control. Although the total
alkalinity was lowered from about 70 ppm to 20 to 30 ppm,
the summer months saw pH increases from during daylight
hours of 1.0 to 1.5 units. The automatic pH system cut the
caustic feed off when the pH increased above the set point,
Figure 4.0 Timetable of Treatment Chemistries
Numerous studies were conducted in the laboratory in an

effort to get a better handle on the microbiological component in the overall problem. Various on-line, real time analyzers were studied to determine if the claims that they could
predict microbiological fouling were overstated. Although in
some cases there were somewhat positive results the overall
result was not as definitive as we had hoped. The results of
these tests have been reported elsewhere.
In 2005 it was decided to review the possible use of zinc as a
cathodic inhibitor into the system. The environmental concerns were overcome by agreeing that zinc concentrations in
the outfall would be held well below the allowable limits as
established by the NPDES permit. There was concern that
the mud bottom of the pond would adsorb a great deal of the
zinc, but the decision was made to give the program a try and
evaluate the results. The program would be initiated in four
steps. First, zinc would be added to the system and with
remaining controls held in place. Next the pH would be reduced to 7.5 to maintain solubility of zinc, and then the bromine component would be eliminated since the pH would be
lowered to a range where bromine did not improve the effectiveness of the oxidizing biocide program. Finally, the chlorine injection points would be changed with the addition of
higher motive pressure for chlorine induction and the ability
to inject the chlorine solution into a pressurized line.
Zinc feed was initiated in mid-January, 2005. The control
range for soluble zinc was targeted to be 0.5 to 0.75 ppm and
64
Figure 5.0 Corrosion Rate Improvements (mpy)
but the pH continued to rise during daylight. Based on experience from other DuPont sites, we attribute this to algae
activity during the hot, sunny days that feeds on free carbon
dioxide in the circulating water. Addition of sulfuric acid is
being considered and would be used during these periods to
control the pH below 7.5. Table 1.0 shows this data.
Figure 6 provides a wider look at corrosion rates. This figure
shows corrosion rates at the same four locations since 1998.
Corrosion rates have decreased based on corrosion coupon
data.
The plant has now had nearly a year of service on the zinc/
polyphosphate/quad polymer program and the average corrosion rate remains approximately 5-9 mpy with periodic increases at individual units. Pitting can still be seen on the
carbon steel coupons, but it is also significantly less than was
found previously.
It will take a much longer period to determine if the MIC

problems have also been alleviated. In 2000, additional local
treatment for several production areas containing the 304 stainless steel reactor tubes was initiated. This supplemental treatment included sodium hypochlorite to be sure there is always
controlled free chlorine residual in that production area. The
stainless steel reactor tubes have been again repaired because of leaks occurring in 2004 and only time will tell whether
this situation is also under control.
the initial installation, the resulting problems have been addressed and significantly improved with the assistance of a
committed management, concerned operating group, and interested technical assistance.
Summary
There are times when people have questioned the continued
viability of this system. There have been many, some expensive, problems with this system. We continue to look at cost
effective improvements that can be made to reduce these
problems as they develop. However, the goal of reducing the
environmental problems that the plant experienced during the
pre-1995 days has been met.
This system is complex and expensive to treat with chemicals. It requires a substantial amount of operator, technical,
and management time to be sure the system is controlled
very closely. Faced with the reality of having a large, complex system with many of its shortcomings not recognized in
Figure 6.0 Historical Corrosion Coupon Data
65
pH
Table 1.0 - Analytical Data

FreeHalogen Filtered Zinc Unfiltered Zinc M Alkalinity Filtered Phosphate Unfiltered Phosphate
Date
East West
East West
East
West
East West
East West
East West
East
West
31-Oct-05
7.38
7.34
0.28
0.35
0.23
0.22
0.26 0.25
26
26
3.8
3.8
3.8
3.9
17-Oct-05
7.19
6.90
0.31
1.67
0.31
0.62
0.33 0.63
24
24
3.0
3.1
3.0
3.2
16-Sep-05
7.08
7.13
0.46
0.78
0.22
0.38
0.26 0.42
24
24
5.6
5.7
5.8
5.8
29-Aug-05 7.55
7.44
0.36
0.71
0.25
0.40
0.29 0.46
34
30
5.2
5.1
5.3
5.2
19-Aug-05 7.30
7.29
0.19
0.27
0.26
0.30
0.29 0.34
24
24
4.9
4.9
5.0
5.0
08-Aug-05 7.15
7.50
0.20
0.41
0.20
0.26
0.24 0.31
22
28
5.4
5.1
5.6
5.2
25-Jul-05
7.74
7.65
0.15
0.20
0.15
0.20
0.20 0.24
28
24
5.2
5.0
5.3
5.0
15-Jul-05
7.58
7.43
0.19
0.30
0.13
0.18
0.19 0.24
28
26
4.3
4.9
4.6
4.9
28-Jun-05
8.37
8.39
0.22
0.28
0.14
0.28
0.22 0.35
84
86
5.2
5.0
5.4
5.0
17-Jun-05
7.30
7.39
0.39
0.52
0.13
0.26
0.19 0.31
34
34
5.8
5.8
5.9
5.8
06-Jun-05
7.71
7.59
0.38
0.39
0.15
0.31
0.20 0.38
46
35
5.7
5.7
5.9
5.9
26-May-05 7.51
7.40
0.56
0.67
0.16
0.27
0.20 0.32
5.7
6.0
5.8
6.2
13-May-05 8.10
7.59
0.41
0.76
0.15
0.27
0.25 0.36
82
78
5.0
4.9
5.5
5.0
06-May-05 9.06
8.81
0.22
0.15
0.12
0.16
0.21 0.30
100
100
5.1
5.3
5.3
5.6
27-Apr-05
7.78
7.80
0.46
0.72
0.17
0.22
0.22 0.27
78
78
6.1
6.2
6.3
6.3
18-Apr-05
8.02
8.04
0.41
0.52
0.22
0.21
0.25 0.26
78
76
6.0
6.1
6.3
6.3
08-Apr-05
7.86
7.79
0.27
0.90
0.24
0.30
0.33 0.38
68
68
5.9
5.9
6.1
6.0
01-Apr-05
7.85
7.73
0.27
0.84
0.29
0.37
0.42 0.52
68
68
5.9
5.9
6.0
6.0
23-Mar-05
7.95
7.80
0.18
0.91
0.30
0.40
0.39 0.54
68
68
6.0
5.8
6.1
5.9
16-Mar-05
8.00
8.00
0.35
0.52
0.22
0.43
0.35 0.43
70
69
6.3
6.1
6.4
6.3
09-Mar-05
8.00
7.92
0.52
0.65
0.24
0.31
0.40 0.48
62
64
6.0
6.3
6.0
6.5
02-Mar-05
7.73
7.95
0.51
0.75
0.27
0.34
0.34 0.40
68
68
7.1
7.1
7.2
7.3
23-Feb-05
7.79
7.71
0.41
0.74
0.20
0.25
0.29 0.34
68
66
6.6
6.5
6.8
6.6
16-Feb-05
8.02
8.01
0.35
1.04
0.20
0.26
0.32 0.38
7.1
7.3
7.2
7.5
11-Feb-05
7.44
7.49
0.39
0.98
0.20
0.29
0.22 0.32
7.3
7.3
7.5
7.6
08-Feb-05
8.01
8.08
0.51
0.48
0.20
0.25
0.22 0.26
7.7
7.7
7.9
7.9
03-Feb-05
7.72
7.68
0.66
0.86
0.20
0.22
0.25 0.33
8.2
8.2
0.42 0.29
0.07
0.11
0.07 0.15
7.5
7.7
14-Jan-05 8.21 7.89
66
84
72
8.5
8.4
67
Cooling Technology Institute

Licensed Testing Agencies
For nearly thirty years, the Cooling Technology Institute has
provided a truly independent, third party, thermal performance
testing service to the cooling tower industry. In 1995, the CTI
also began providing an independent, third party, drift
performance testing service as
well. Both these services are
administered through the CTI
Multi-Agency Tower Performance Test Program and provide
comparisons of the actual operating performance of a specific
tower installation to the design
performance. By providing such
information on a specific tower
installation, the CTI MultiAgency Testing Program stands
in contrast to the CTI Cooling
Tower Certification Program
which certifies all models of a
specific manufacturer's line of cooling towers perform in
accordance with their published thermal ratings.
To be licensed as a CTI Cooling Tower Performance Test
Agency, the agency must pass a rigorous screening process and

demonstrate a high level of technical expertise. Additionally, it
must have a sufficient number of test instruments, all meeting
rigid requirements for accuracy and calibration.
Once licensed, the Test Agencies
for both thermal and drift testing
must operate in full compliance
with the provisions of the CTI
License Agreements and Testing
Manuals which were developed
by a panel of testing experts
specifically for this program. Included in these requirements are
strict guidelines regarding conflict
of interest to insure CTI Tests are
conducted in a fair, unbiased
manner.
Cooling tower owners and manufacturers are strongly encouraged
to utilize the services of the licensed CTI Cooling Tower
Performance Test Agencies. The currently licensed agencies are
listed below.
Licensed CTI Thermal Testing Agencies

License
Type*
Agency Name
Address
Contact Person
Website / Email
Telephone
Fax
A,B
Clean Air Engineering

7936 Conner Rd
Powell, TN 37849
Kenneth Hennon
www.cleanair.com
khennon@cleanair.com
800.208.6162
865.938.7569
A, B
Cooling Tower Technologies Pty Ltd

PO Box N157
Bexley North, NSW 2207
AUSTRALIA
Ronald Rayner
coolingtwrtech@bigpond.com
61 2 9789 5900
61 2 9789 5922
A,B
Cooling Tower Test Associates, Inc.

15325 Melrose Dr.
Stanley, KS 66221-9720
Thomas E. Weast
www.cttai.com
cttakc@aol.com
913.681.0027
913.681.0039
A, B
McHale & Associates, Inc

6430 Baum Drive
Knoxville, TN 37919
Thomas Wheelock
www.mchale.org
865.588.2654
425.557.8377
* Type A license is for the use of mercury in glass thermometers typically used for smaller towers.
Type B license is for the use of remote data acquisition devices which can accommodate multiple measurement locations required by larger towers.
Licensed CTI Drift Testing Agencies
68
Agency Name
Address
Contact Person
Website / Email
Telephone
Fax
Clean Air Engineering

7936 Conner Rd
Powell, TN 37849
Kenneth Hennon
www.cleanair.com
khennon@cleanair.com
800.208.6162
865.938.7569
McHale & Associates, Inc.

6430 Baum Drive
Knoxville, TN 37919
Thomas Wheelock
www.mchale.org
865.588.2654
425.557.8377
69
70
71
Index of Advertisers
Albemarle
67
Aggreko Cooling Tower Services
36, 37
AHR Expo
69
Amarillo Chittom AirFlo
55
Amarillo Gear Company
IBC
Amcot Cooling Tower Corporation
23
American Cooling Tower, Inc.
15, 51
AMSA, Inc.
25, 57
Bailsco Blades & Castings, Inc.
56
Bedford Reinforced Plastics
17
Beetle Plastics, LLC
21
Brentwood Industries, Inc.
ChemTreat, Inc.
13
Clean Air
41
Cooling Tower Resources, Inc.
33
CTI License Test Agencies
68
CTI ToolKit
70, 71
Dynamic Fabricators, LLC
Engelhard Corporation
35
Gaiennie Lumber Company
Goodway
63
Howden Cooling Fans
Hudson Products Corporation
29
Industrial Cooling Tower
58,IFC
KIMCO
45
LaMotte
McHale and Associates
31
Metrix
61
Midwest Towers, Inc.
53
Moore Fans
47
Multi-Wing America, Inc.
49
Myron L Company
Paharpur Cooling Towers Ltd.
39
Rexnord
C.E. Shepherd Company, L.P.
27
SPIG
59
Spraying Services, Inc.
11
SPX Cooling Technologies
OBC
Strongwell
19
Swan Secure Products, Inc.
65
Tower Performance, Inc.
72
Vangd
18
72

CTI Sum 06 Journalfinal

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The CTI Journal

A Performance Comparison of Counterflow Reduced

CTI Licensed Testing Agencies

FUTURE MEETING DATES

July 9-12, 2006

February 4-7, 2007

July 8-11, 2007

February 3-7, 2008

Address all communications to:

BOX 1240 OPELOUSAS, LA 70571-1240

CTI Journal, Vol. 27, No. 2

CTI Journal, Vol. 27, No. 2

View From The Tower

to keep pace with technology advancements. I

Speaking of the Summer Committee Workshop,

CTI Journal, Vol. 27, No. 2

CTI Journal, Vol. 27, No. 2

CTI Journal, Vol. 27, No. 2

CTI Journal, Vol. 27, No. 2

condensers. CleanAirs other five offices perform emissions

See advertisement on page 41

Thomas Wheelock, P.E.

See advertisement on page 31

CTI Journal, Vol. 27, No. 2

CTI Journal, Vol. 27, No. 2

Fill Media Tested

Since the introduction of Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC)

However, over the last 15 years fill manufacturers have continued

2.5, 5, 7.5 Ft.

3.25, 6.0 Ft.

26" C/L branch to

CTI Journal, Vol. 27, No. 2

Performance Comparison Models

R=10 F, A=6 F, Q/A = 3.5, WBT = 78 F

% of Capability Comparison - Example

The normalization and comparative process consisted of the following;

Minimum Equivalent Fill Height Duty A

CTI Journal, Vol. 27, No. 2

Required % Plan Area Comparison Example

Figure B-1 reflects that as compared to 4 Ft. of FB20 to maintain the

CTI Journal, Vol. 27, No. 2

CTI Journal, Vol. 27, No. 2

% of Capability Comparison continued

Required % Plan Area Comparison

CTI Journal, Vol. 27, No. 2

We now offer "Direct Size Wood Replacement"

Bedford Reinforced Plastics, Inc. specializes in FRP

CTI Journal, Vol. 27, No. 2

Required % Plan Area Comparison contd

Fill Pressure Drop Curves

CTI Journal, Vol. 27, No. 2

CTI Journal, Vol. 27, No. 2

CTI Journal, Vol. 27, No. 2

CTI Journal, Vol. 27, No. 2

CTI Journal, Vol. 27, No. 2

CTI Journal, Vol. 27, No. 2

CTI Journal, Vol. 27, No. 2

CTI Journal, Vol. 27, No. 2

CTI Journal, Vol. 27, No. 2

CTI Journal, Vol. 27, No. 2

CTI Journal, Vol. 27, No. 2

CTI Journal, Vol. 27, No. 2

CTI Journal, Vol. 27, No. 2

CTI Journal, Vol. 27, No. 2